Life Story Written by Park, min-na



Survival in the 80s of Dan Moo Ji
- Seok Hee Jang, Chairperson of Seoul Women Workers Association -




Min Na Park
Edition committee member of KWWAU



In summer of 1985, the burning sun was melting the busy streets and the emerging workers' struggle in Garibong-dong brought Seoul to boiling point.

The united struggle in the Guro area, which was conducted by the unions of the Daewoo Garment Co. Hyoseong Inc., Garibong Electronics, Sunil Electronics, and Buhung co. that were at almost the same time workplaces in which unions were being set up, was a memorable event in the struggle against the military regime.

At that time Ms. Seok Hee Jang had been a sewing machine worker in Korong Co. for one year. After the Guro Struggle, which resulted in the dismissals of over a thousand workers, there was a severe crack-down on the struggle in November.

She, along with two other colleagues, was kicked out onto the street. Her four-year long and difficult struggle for the restoration of her job started at that point.

Her struggle encountered repressive violence and she lost the hearing in her left ear. When I met her for an interview, she was holding her bag on her left-hand side and though her hand-phone was ringing in her bag she could not hear it.


The storm of dismissals after the Guro Solidarity Struggle


"The Solidarity Struggle was severely attacked, and we, hanging on for the establishment of a democratic trade union, we were united in our will to do something. We had the idea of distributing flyers. We worked on the fourth floor.

We divided the floors, and each of us took charge of one floor. We brought the flyers in under our coats. We did not go home after the night's work and hid in the bathroom.

At midnight we started our work. We left the flyers in places like the inside pockets of uniforms, in between the stuff for the next day's work, etc. The flyers were found the next day. It was a nice strategy.

But it was horrible to be in that dark workplace. Luckily there was an industrial headquarters beside our building. We could, at least, get some light from the street light at the headquarters.

When we entered the working place at dark night, we were so afraid that all our nerves were tense. We gave thanks for the light from the street."


She said, laughing, that she did not give these details to the prosecutor during her interrogation.

However the company started looking for the distributors of the flyers which were found hidden all over the place.

In the process, she and two other workers were fired, ostensibly because they gave their educational background incorrectly. They were senior high school graduates but wrote that they were junior high school graduates.

In the end the standing committee for disciplinary measures called a meeting and the committee decided to fire them. The president of the "yellow union" merely said, "Kick them out!"

Three company guards dragged them out the gate and took their uniforms from them by force. This happened on November 23, 1985.

They were shocked and sat down by the industrial complex until it got dark. Jang wondered if she had really been fired... She really could not understand the attitude of the union president and thought a lot about the situation. This day had really been too long for her.

Losing her hearing in her left ear through violent struggle

From the next day onward, she struggled to get into the company every day.

"Struggling to enter the company building was like asking to be hit by the huge company guards. One day, there was a hole in the ground, which might have been for planting a tree, and they dragged me into the hole and stamped on me with their feet wearing walking boots, and my mouth bled.

That was nothing. I lost consciousness seven or eight times. In fact, one or two times, I pretended to lose consciousness in order to avoid the severe beatings. (Laughing).

At that time I was surviving on one bowl of instant noodles every two days. In fact, it is a miracle that I am still alive."

She was laughing but she might have been crying in her heart recalling these sad and hard memories. She also had to battle against the bad impression the company gave of her struggle to the other workers in the workplace, and she was very worried about what they would think about her fight.

Therefore she tried to organize meetings with the workers after her painful day of struggle.

Finally a promotion committee for the democratization of the trade union was established, and she was able conduct a more powerful struggle.

She and her colleagues still managed to hold regular meetings during that hard time and the meetings gave them renewed strength.

Seok Hee Jang, who had to be prepared for another beating every day, managed to keep her strength up through the encouragement she got from her friends.

Four months later, 18 more workers were dismissed and the struggle to enter the company every day became a real war.

"We were so fed up with being hit that we planned to fight back. Then, a military police bus came and we were badly beaten. We really could not forgive them.

Once they dragged us into their military bus and they carried sticks. I blocked their way. Then one of them held onto the bar on the roof of the bus and kicked my chest.

I fell down and was severely beaten. When I came to my senses, I heard a strange sound like a siren in my ear and then I realized that I could not hear anything with my left ear."

From that time onward, anyone who wants to talk to her cannot sit on her left hand side.

Going to the place of struggle wearing a wig

At the end of 1986 a strange thing happened to her. She began to lose her hair. All the doctors she talked to said that this was caused by mental stress and malnutrition. Three months later she had lost all her hair.

She explained that she was not such a good-looking woman anyway and wearing a wig made her really bad-looking. I wondered if I should laugh or cry at her stories about her wig. Let's laugh since she herself is laughing at these painful stories!

In 1987, she had to run a lot on the streets. One day, when they were taking part in a street demonstration a military policeman caught her hair and the wig came off.

The man was too surprised to move and stopped in his tracks. Her friend next to her took the wig back and put it on her head. She looked so funny.

On another day, several military policemen caught her and tried to carry her to their bus. Suddenly her wig came off, and the poor men were so surprised that they dropped her.

Because of this particular incident she still has pain in her waist. There were so many stories about her wig. When the military police used fire hoses on the demonstrators, her wig was taken off by the water.

On another occasion she climbed a wall to get away from the police and her wig was caught on a nail..... So many interesting stories to make us laugh and cry.

"However, I once survived because of my wig. It was during the June People's Struggle. I was with the demonstrators in front of City Hall. I was running, avoiding a number of military policemen. A tear gas bomb hit my head.

Thank God I was wearing a wig or I may not be here with you today. Anyway, the tear gas covered my body. Every part of my body was covered in tear gas. I could not open my eyes.....

Ever since that time I have been allergic to tear gas. A few hours later, lots of egg-sized blisters appeared on all over my body. I was hospitalized for several days. Imagine! I could not eat well before.

During my time in hospital I ate a lot and gained weight. What with the egg-sized blisters, my bald head, and my fat body, it was terrible to see my reflection in the mirror."

She laughed. Her laughing was loud and hearty but it was so painful to hear. Her father came to the hospital. He was usually a very understanding father.

However, it was too much for him to see his daughter in that situation. Why should his daughter be in such a corner, looking so terrible, with her blisters, bald head and all the rest? Did she really have to continue to struggle? ....

However he was the one who persuaded the parents of the dismissed workers to organize. While Jang's mother was waiting for an operation for stomach cancer, he said to his daughter, "I will be responsible for my wife, while you go and do your work."

Therefore she still feels guilty about her mother, who passed away three years ago. She regrets that she could not do better for her mother....

Poor childhood

->Picnic held by Korong Co. trade union / 2nd person on the left side in the first line(1984.10.28)
She was born on June 11, 1959 in Inchon, Kyonggi-do. When she was born, her parents were living with their parents and seven brothers and sisters.

It was a big family. Since there were not many things to eat and their family was really big, she has few memories of eating rice. They fed chickens and pigs and as a result she sometimes ate pork or chicken when one of the animals died of disease.

"When I was nine years old, my parents moved to Samyang-dong, Seoul. At that time I was with my two brothers and my parents. We rented a room.

My father was skilled at many kinds of work and my mother was also very strong. She did all kinds of work like washing clothes, carrying water and so on. However, we were still very poor and we could not bring a lunch box to school.

When my teacher came to know about my situation, she put my name on the list of poor neighbors, and I was given a pile of gifts. This hurt my pride, and I cried a lot after coming home.

I cried out that I would not attend school any more. I was scolded and punished by my parents but I did not go to that school any more."

That experience left her with a pain in her heart and her family had to move house. Fortunately her father got a job in a private library as a guard. Even though they had to live in one room together, they did not starve any more.

However that happy time ended when her relatives moved to her family house. She had to spend her junior high school time in a small room at the private library.

When she was in her last year of senior high school, she had to make a decision about her future and whether she would go to university or not. She decided to help her brother, who is now a reverend of the Brothers' Church, to go to theology college.

She did various kinds of work. She was quite smart and earned good money. She earned a lot and spent a lot. She was once able to live quite a luxurious life.

Dan Moo Ji's life as a worker

"Whatever I did, I could earn good money. However, I quit jobs easily. I wondered what should I do.... At that time I heard some interesting stories from my brother and his friends.

They were involved in the Christian movement. I once met the workers of Dongil Textiles at the Youngdungpo Industrial Church and I was deeply impressed by the cast of their eyes.

It was shocking to hear the workers' situation. I was also influenced by the respected Rev. Hwa Soon Lee.

I thought that there seemed to be lots of problems in the textile industry, and I should try to solve these problems by majoring in textile science.

My nickname is Dan Moo Ji meaning simple, hysterical and pig-headed by nature. I passed an entrance exam in 1983 and became a college student majoring in textile science.

It did not take long for me to realize that it was useless. I only studied for one semester and then left college. Ha, Ha, Ha!"

"Then I started my worker's life. In March, 1984, I entered Korong Co.. At that time, there were a few labor militants already working there and they proposed that we work together."

However, she was reluctant to work with them because their methods of expression and approach were too radical to fit the situation of the workers. She also wanted to have some time to confirm the situation.

She believed that one step by a hundred workers is more valuable than a hundred steps by one worker. She studied the Labor Law and rewrote the flyers in a easier way for her colleagues to understand.

She felt the need to establish a Christian labor movement, and worked as one of the founding members of the Korea Christian Labor Federation.

The judicial precedent of invalid and unjust dismissal

She decided to take her case to court. At that time many people thought that bad laws should be destroyed by violating the law. Therefore some of her friends were not very happy with her idea of filing a suit.

However, she had faith that she could win in court since the Labor Standard Law manifested that her situation had not constituted being fired. It was a very difficult and time-consuming fight.

A year after her struggle to re-enter the company began, her campaigning decreased to 2 or 3 times a week. The company was fed up with her struggle but, the company wondered what was going on if she did not appear.

She was exhausted and really wanted to stop the endless struggle. Furthermore she was often arrested in the demonstrations organized by the Struggle Committee for Restoration of Jobs to Dismissed Workers.

The arrests, interrogations, and detentions continued. She was often lost to imagine the end of the fight. However, she had good friends near her.

"In fact, I started the movement as a dog and have become a human being. (Laughing) My friends always cared for me and we tried to help each other.

So, I was reborn as a humble human being. I could feel that humanity was beautiful through my friends. Most of them lived on W3,000 a month but, they still left tens of thousands won in my room with a warm letter.

My house was always watched and therefore they had to be very courageous to visit my house. I was always wondering if I could have done the same for them. They are so important to me. They are my most valuable property."

Returning to the workplace

On May 7, 1989, Seok Hee Jang and two other workers received the final verdict that their jobs must be restored: "Firing workers on the grounds that the distribution of flyers reduces the productivity of a company is injust". It was a memorable judical precedent.

However two of her friends gave up returning to the workplace and Seok Hee Jang alone had to face the difficult fight in the workplace, where the company spread stories that the dismissed workers were all communists.

"On the first day, when I arrived at the workplace everybody stopped their work and looked at me. I was very tense and nervous. There was no work for me and nobody talked to me. It was very strange and hard to stand.

During lunch time I was too nervous to eat. On the next table, my colleagues were looking at me very concerned expressions. I might have given up if there were no such warm eyes."

After returning to her work, she had to cry alone in the toilet for three months. When she talked about this period her eyes again got red. She had to give strength to her colleagues but it was hard to endure the situation.

She got a salary for doing nothing. At last she decided to think, "Well, if the situation is not going to change, why don't I enjoy it?"

"Whatever and whenever something happened, I ran to help. If some got digestive problems, I massaged her. If someone was seriously sick, I took her to hospital.

If there was hard work, I helped. I did not mind helping an assistant. Sometimes, I completed the work of others in secret to help. Very gradually the relationship with other workers improved.

I tried to do my best in order to be nice, particularly to those who had a bad impression of me. I also tried to approach the strong male workers and to become good friends with them. Finally they came round to our side. Ha! Ha! Ha!"

So the repressive atmosphere gradually changed to a better atmosphere in which she could talk to the other workers. She would not quit. Then she dared ask for a workload in order to receive her salary with pride.

Finally the company began to give her work and she recommenced normal workplace activity. A year later, her union membership was restored and at the end of 1991, she won the election with 87% of the vote and became president of the union.

->With the job trainees in SWWA class
However, the company had already started reforms and planned to move the factory. The former president had already signed the negotiation paper. In August 1994, the factory was closed.

She has kept a hanging which she got as a gift. She has kept in her mind the words on the hanger.

"It is written that if you empty your mind, you will be calm. We should not hold on to greediness. If I could go back to the past and live that experience again, I wouldn't be able to do it. It was that difficult.

However, I now have so good friends who are my life's fortune and taught me what to be grateful for and what being humble is."

She has no desire to marry. She has adjusted to living alone and has no confidence in living under the present marriage system.

Therefore her dream is to create a retirement town where she can live out her golden years with her friends and avoid loneliness.

Nowadays, the Women Workers Associations are gathering the power to establish a national trade union for women workers. Last February, she was elected as national president.

She feels uneasy. She wanted always to be responsible for herself. She hoped to live without any private greediness.

She wants to pass these times fast and looks forward to drinking time. She insists that she is still Dan Moo Ji. I hoped that she could keep her bright smile and left her.




Korea Working Women's Network 1999
Posted by KWWA
|

Voice from the workplace 1.



We are the workers of this land!
- Unfinished fight by the caddies at the Pusan Country Club -




Ji Won Kim
President of the Struggle Committee for
Restoring the dismissals of Pusan Country Club







While Sae Ri Park won an international golf title, on April 30 we were informed that we were dismissed in order for them to recruit younger female caddies.

The reasons the company gave were that we were married women and that we had used false names. The sudden dismissals of 20 caddies stirred anger in our hearts and we felt that we were betrayed.

On May 1st, our colleagues protested by boycotting the new arrangement of shifts but ended with failure and we were kicked out of the workplace like our senior colleagues.


->Caddies demanding their reinstatement in front of Busan Country Club

Some of us had worked for 20 years and the average working length was six years. We had gone through service training for three years and had done our best for the development of the country club with our sweat and effort.

Therefore we could not accept the situation. Seventeen of us started our struggle. We did not have any experience of organizing or struggling.

However, we started with a petition, obtaining 80% of our colleagues' support. We also implemented a legal struggle and promoted our struggle with the support of the local KWWA society.

On July 1st, the Countermeasure Committee was formed by a women's organization in Pusan, a human rights organization, and a labor organization. We also brought our case to the Special Committee for Women.

The Dongrae local labor office interpreted the law as against us in our claims of illegal dismissal. We as irregular workers were working under the worst conditions, have succeeded in having our case reviewed by the Labor Ministry.

The Country Club took conciliatory measures individually, spread bad propaganda about us, and intimidated us.

However we tried to maintain our stand thinking of the pains suffered by 30,000 caddies across the country. So far, the struggle of the dismissed caddies has continued and the congress men, who belonged to the Environment Labor Committee, urged the Club to correct the situation. Some local social organizations also gave their solidarity.

On August 17, the Pusan Labor Hall provided the first management and labor negotiations and the second negotiation is going to be held soon.


Owing to our struggle, the Country Club won't dismiss caddies with the excuses of marriage or using false names and the remaining caddies will have the courage to struggle for their rights.

There is an another important fruit borne of our struggle. The Ministry of Labor and the National Congress have conducted an investigation in the siof golf club caddies, who have been left out of legal protection.

We have given great hopes to our fellow caddies and have reminded the golf club to be wary of carrying out unfair and unjust management. We could forget all the pains in the past because of the fruits we have achieved.

Irregular workers including caddies have no way to get legal protection. There will be more victims in the future if we stop our struggle here. And the next dismissed workers will have to struggle harder. Therefore we cannot give up here, and we shall be returning to our work.

In the process of our struggle, we were thrown on the street without any retirement allowance. However we did not throw in the towel, frustrated, but encouraged each other.

We shall continue to struggle for the recognition of our status as workers and for our pride as caddies.





Korea Working Women's Network 1999
Posted by KWWA
|

Voice from the workplace 2.



Completing the struggle for
"Abrogation of the Series System"




Choon Jae Lee
Director of Women's Dept. of Korea Bank Trade Union







The Series System is a new personnel affairs system introduced by Korea Bank in 1993. The system separates workers into two sections:

general series and ordinary series. The workers under the general series do planning or analysis labor. The workers under the ordinary series do simple and repetitive kinds of work.

The two series have differences in terms of the opportunities for training courses, post arrangements, promotions, and salaries. Most women workers belong to the ordinary series.

In reality this means that women are far from promotion as the workers belonging to the ordinary series can only reach a certain stage of promotion.

However, the workers belonging to the general series can be promoted to a much higher post.

The system has different levels of salaries and limits in transferring working positions from and to the headquarter or branches. There has been much criticism made even within the bank that the system is like a class system. In the process of business restructuring, the workers belonging to the ordinary series were put on the dismissals list for reasons of their supposed "high cost and low effectiveness".

In order to achieve just restructuring and the stabilization of employment, the series system must be abolished.

The Korea Bank trade union conducted a poll targeting all the employees in February 1988 in order to establish the popularity of the new personnel affairs series system. The results of the research were:

17.1% for maintaining the system, 54.3% (50.2% from general series, 67.6% from the ordinary series) for abolishing the system, and 28.7% with no opinion. Based on the results of the research, the trade union set up a team to abolish the system.

The team organized constant roundtable meetings with union members, defined some problems, and continued to work for the improvement of the system.

The team also organized a seminar inviting some outside experts for the internal innovation of the central bank on August 28, 1998. In the seminar, active discussions took place between the bank and union members.

In the beginning of 1998, the restructuring started under the name of honorary retirement. On April 1st, the Office of Bank Supervision and Examination was separated.

The number of employees of the bank steeply decreased. Another poll was conducted in February 1999. In this research, it was confirmed that there were strong demands from the employees for the abolition of the series system (62.1% from general series and 72.55% from ordinary series).

The improvement of the series system became the most essential mission and the president of the union, Mr. Chul Soo Kim expressed his strong will to this end.

The trade union organized an open forum in each of the 35 branches in order to collect the opinions of the members. On May 7th and 8th, the union members from headquarters and branches gathered for a forum. In the forum, they made a resolution and consolidated their will to achieve their aim.

In addition, the union worked for the realization of changes agreed in 1998 management and labor negotiations and has constantly worked through more negotiations. A standing committee was set up and the committee has conducted seven rounds of negotiations.

However there have been lots of difficulties due to the conservative stand of the bank and the strong stand of the union. The negotiations did not go well. The union held a demonstration in front of the new headquarters building on July 16, 1999.

It started at 7pm and lasted until 5am next morning. Over 400 members participated. In the demonstration, members consolidated their strong will to abolish the series system and demanded a fundamental renovation of the personnel affairs system.

From July 19th, each branch conducted a protest demonstration. They wore uniforms and ribbons to illustrate their protest. From July 20, President Chul Soo Lee with some other union leaders began a hunger strike.

In the process of the struggle, the bank tried to divide union members, and some of them began to leave the struggle. In spite of the strong wills affirmed during the demonstration, some union members took off their uniforms and the hunger strike was not expanded.

Some of them understood that the struggle was mainly for the workers belonging to the ordinary series, and they had conflicting feelings. The struggle began to lose its passion.

In spite of the difficulties, the president continued to hunger-strike and the union tried to maintain the standing committee through the changing of some members, and to continue to negotiate with the bank. It was getting very hot and yet the passion of the members was cooling. The union had to make a decision.

At last the union signed the negotiation paper. The contents of the negotiation did not meet all demands of the union members, but it was a victory which led the bank to abolish the new personnel affairs system.

The Korea Bank has provided the framework for a personnel affairs system which can work for every employee in a proper and just way. There are no longer the unfair differences which existed between the general and ordinary series.

The unjust, unequal, and old-fashioned system has been ended by the united struggle of the union members. Now the Korea Bank will be one based on the new personnel affairs system. It is reborn as a central bank for the people of this country.





Korea Working Women's Network 1999
Posted by KWWA
|

Voice from the workplace 3.



After devoting our youth to the company,
must we pay the price of unjust dismissal?



Deuk Jong Kim
A member of the KWTU








The dismissed workers of Hotel Lotte, co. were found in the center of Sogong Dong wearing a headband written "Give me my job back". The slogan, which they then shouted for the first time in their lives, is not new to them any more.

"If 45 years old is too old, then Seong Won Jang, who is 73 years old, should suffer the Goryo Jang treatment!"

The dismissed workers felt free to shout that slogan, as they had worked for ten years for the company and were summarily dismissed.

They had worked for eight hours a day for a long period of time but were treated in an inferior manner due to their status as irregular workers. They haven't been able to apply for the four main social insurances or to obtain assistance through the Labor Standard Law.

Even the trade union did not allow them to join because they were irregular workers. In Hotel Lotte, Co., about a thousand workers, one-third of all employees, are working on an irregular basis.

In 1998 those who were over 50 years old and those who had worked for more than ten years were put on the list of dismissals and in 1999 the same fate was suffered by those who were over 45 years old and those who had worked for over 8 years.

So, a total 140 women were dismissed. 54 of them applied to the Local Labor Office for the restoration of their jobs and have been campaigning for the return of their jobs for more than two months.

Since the dismissed workers started their struggle, the Hotel Lotte has stopped forcing further retirements or recruiting young women as replacements.

However, the Hotel did not want to restore their jobs but tried to get out of the situation by paying compensatory money.

For two months time, the dismissed workers visited the Labor Ministry, the related government offices, newspaper companies, women's organizations, and various trade unions in order to get help. They also launched a protest demonstration in front of the Hotel Lotte and Lotte Department Store for two weeks.



->
Demonstration in front of Lotte Hotel.
The dismussals shouted "retract new kind of early reirment" (1999. 6. 14)


In the demonstration, they sang a song of "Spring of Hometown" but with different words.

1. My beloved workplace is the Hotel Lotte Passing spring, summer, fall, and winter for ten years, devoting my youth, the price paid by me was unjust dismissal. I am deceived. Send me back to my workplace

2. Sometimes through rain, snow, or wind, I have cleaned and polished The workplace, full of my sweat and devotion, night and day The past ten years are like my own day How come I am dismissed because I am too old at forty-five?


It was not easy to fight the company with no desire to restore their jobs. The compensatory money proposed by the company was the equivalent of three months' salary. In the Local Labor Office, the dismissed workers negotiated with the company and concluded by accepting its proposal.

It was a bit disappointing that the struggle did not end with total victory. However it was meaningful that the over 45-year-old married women, who had no experience of campaigning, organized a group struggle.

They also succeeded in stopping the company's unjust dismissals. Of course the compensatory money was given to them through their struggle.

The dismissed workers have learned a lot through their struggle. They have been taught that women workers must unite for their rights.





Korea Working Women's Network 1999
Posted by KWWA
|
EQUAL RIGHTS COUNSELING

ANALYSIS ON THE COUNSELING
FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1999




In Soon Wang
Sec. Gen. of KWWAU

The following analysis comes from cases registered by the Equal Rights Counseling from April to June. If you want to know more, you can find information on the KWWAU homepage at: http://www.kwwnet.org

The total cases counseled in the second quarter came to 302 excluding secondary counseling. The highest portion of counseled cases concerned insecure employment (76.5%).

The cases concerning delay of payment numbered 152 (50.3%), both dismissal due to restructuring and unjust labor conditions 45 cases (14.9%), unfair dismissal and discriminating dismissal 34 cases (11.3%).

In addition, 24 cases (8.0%) were regarding discrimination, 22 cases (7.3%) sexual abuse within the workplace, 17 cases (5.6%) maternity protection, and eight cases (2.6%) industrially-contracted illness.


1. The desirability of the full realization of the Labor Standard Law

The analysis of the counseled cases show that the proper procedures regarding dismissal, wages, and vacations as prescribed in the Labor Standard Law are not being adhered to by employers.

The recently-introduced annual salary system instigated a new trend by which the company decides the level of salary in a one-sided way without any change in the worker's contract. Furthermore some companies forced their employees to comply with their annual salary system without any consultation with the union.

2. Urgent protection for irregular workers

The forced transfer to irregular work and the unjust treatment towards irregular workers still exist. In the workplace with no union, it is hard to protest against unjust treatment. In many cases, the company hires irregular workers not for temporary work but to effect a decrease in the salaries paid to their employees.

Therefore many irregular workers are, in fact, working over a long period of time and, at the same time, they are insecure in the knowledge that they can be fired at any time.

Even in the workplace which has a union, many workers are not equipped to join the union due to their positions as irregular or clerical employees. Since the majority of them are women, many women are therefore are excluded in the process of negotiations between management and labor.

◈ Under the name of outsourcing, senior high school graduates are forced to transfer to irregular positions

In spite of the fact that this company had made large profits it still tried to transfer senior high school graduates onto an irregular base. In the first round of transfers, 85% of senior high school graduates retired.

The remaining women workers were forced to transfer to irregular positions. However, the work was the same as before.

There is a union in the workplace but those with clerical positions are not allowed to join the union, and they cannot obtain any help from the union. (Equal Rights Counseling, KWWAU)

◈ Dismissal notice during contract period

ㆍShe was working as an English lecturer in the after-school class of an elementary school. She agreed a one-year contract through a recruitment agency. The principal of the school ordered her to quit three months later. She appealed to the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry said it would conduct an investigation. However, she still has not heard anything back. (ERC, Seoul WWA)

ㆍShe was dismissed despite the fact that her contract had not been completed. She is wondering if she can get help. Even though she was an irregular worker, she had worked for a few years. (ERC, Masan & Changwon WWA)

3. Being forced to retire or transfer to an irregular base after marriage or pregnancy,

◈ The company forced the female employee, who soon to marry, to transfer to an irregular base

·They work for a financial company in the computer department. The company has approximately 60 employees. There have beenthree cases of employee transferral to an irregular base after marriage. Now three of them are shortly to marry and the company has forced them to transfer to irregular positions. (ERC, Seoul WWA)

·She is working in a Hyundai affiliated company as an interior designer. So far, no one has succeeded remaining in the company after marriage. The company transfers the married employee to an irregular position and then declines to renew her contract. (ERC, Seoul WWA)

◈ Upon marriage, forced to choose between retiring or being transferred onto an irregular base

·She works in the cultural center of a department store as a dietitian. She passed the entrance exam together with her male colleagues but was paid W100,000 less than the men. Moreover the company is forcing her to retire after marriage. The former dietitian received an official announcement of her appointment as an irregular employee after coming back from her honeymoon vacation. This is unfair. (ERC, Pusan WWA)

·She had worked for two years at the company but it did not allow her a honeymoon vacation, and she had to submit a resignation letter to the company. Then the company re-hired her on an irregular basis. In 1997 there were two more cases of this kind. Last year, the forced resignations upon marriage fuelled controversy. (ERC, KWWAU)

·She worked in an university. It did not allow her to return to her work after her maternity leave. The school has never given maternity leave. Her husband also works in the same university. She does not know what to do. (ERC, KWWAU)

◈ The sudden dismissal notice caused psychological anxiety to a pregnant woman

·She is expecting to give birth in July. On June 9, the company suddenly gave her notice of dismissal. This was due to the financial difficulties suffered by the company. However, she was the only one to be given notice and has been suffering pressure every day from the company to write a resignation letter. (ERC, KWWAU)

◈ When she insisted on keeping her job, the company suggested a contract based on the annual salary base

·She is expecting to marry in May. First, the company suggested that she resign after marriage. She expressed her will to continue to work until the end of the year. Then the company suggested a contract based on the annual salary system. It is obvious that the company is going to make a legal dismissal a year later. (ERC, Inchon WWA)

4. Subtle wage and promotion discrimination

Recently more clients are facing the problem of the increase of gender discrimination in wages and promotions since the wage and promotion systems have been changed. In name, gender discrimination in wages has been improved.

However, discrimination is increasing in subtle ways. The military service period is included in the working period which causes a wage gap and gives more chances to male employees for promotion.

◈ The Gender Equality Law is supposed to defeat gender discrimination but in fact causes a further widening of the wage gap between male and female employees

Under the name of improving the wage gender gap, these employees received their wages in accordance with the "Salary Step Table for Senior High School Graduates". However, the contents of the table, in fact create a wider gender gap.

Comparing women workers with male workers, who have not yet completed military service, the difference in wages is 21% even at the start of employment. The workers are supposed to pass through three stages to become regular workers.

In the case of men, every stage has three credits, and its takes nine credits to pass the three stages. However, in the case of women, only one credit is given for each stage so they total three credits only.

Therefore the wage gap between men and women after passing the three stages increases to 26.1%. In comparison with the men who have already completed military service, the gap is worse. It was 8.9% - 13% before the law was introduced.

However the law results in a wage gap of 28.4%. Therefore the Salary Step Table is, in fact, promoting more gender discrimination rather than improving the situation. In addition, the women workers in clerical positions in this company are unable to join union. (ERC, Inchon WWA)

◈ Three years of work gave the chance of promotion to manager but the new promotion system gives less chances to women

·The women university graduates in charge of computers and personnel affairs are not equipped to join the union. So far university graduates, both female and male, have the opportunity to be promoted to manager after three years at the company.

However, the company is planning to change the promotion system. According to the new system, only those over salary step 12 can become a manager. In this scenario, the men who have completed military service are able to reach managerial level after three years but it will take the women six years.

This is clear discrimination. However the negotiations have already been completed between management and labor. (ERC, KWWAU)

5. Urgent need for educational training on sexual abuse within the workplace

Among the workplaces of the clients who visited Equal Rights Counseling, 22 workplaces which employed less than 20 workers, never gave training on the problem of sexual abuse.

According to research on sexual abuse within the workplace which was conducted by KWWAU through its 'Campaign to end sexual abuse within the workplace', a number of people are unaware that sexual abuse within the workplace is forbidden by the Equal Employment Law and many of them regard sexual abuse as normal.

We should identify the need to conduct preventative education on sexual abuse in the workplace and to launch a mass campaign on the issue.

Since the Equal Employment Law was put into force 11 years ago, 104 cases in total had been registered with the related administration offices, local labor offices, Labor committees, the Equal Employment Committee, Prosecution Office, courts, Constitution Office, etc., at May 1999).

More than half the cases concern resignations upon marriage and pregnancy, and maternity leave. Until now, our society discriminates against marriage, pregnancy, and maternity leave.

There should be more effort made to ensure society's collective responsibility for the expenses of maternity protection.

Besides, the government should conduct more responsible supervision and direction of the companies in order to make real the guarantees of the Labor Standard Law. In the case of violating the law, there should be strong punishments given.

Have encountered sexual abuse within the workplace

I am a thirty-five-year-old married woman working in XX trade company as a translator.

The boss used offensive language and demanded that we sleep together when I went on a business trip with him. When his demands were refused, the boss said some very insulting words. He has been sexually harassing me continuously. I do not want to quit my job.

I had three meetings with him. In the first meeting, I was very strong and he said sorry to me. But in the second and third meetings, he tried to made me understand him.

He explained that he and I needed to be close to each other in order to do good business. He also added that he wanted to shorten the time needed to build a good relationship...

Anyway, I proposed three points; first, he should take a temporary translator on his overseas business trips; second, he should bring another staff member along with him when we needed to meet buyers outside the company;

third, he should allow me to work at home during my pregnancy. I have been working under those conditions. After that negotiation, the boss has stopped using some of his disgusting words.

In fact, I am now very happy to work. I am very grateful for the ERC of Ansan WWA which helped me a lot.

Posted by KWWA
|

Report on the international Meeting



The solution to the problem of the exploitation of women workers in Central and South American countries by Korean companies is to be found in worker solidarity

- The situation of the women workers in the Free Trade Zone in Central
and South America -




Jin Kyung Bae KWWAU Publication Officer



An exchange program was held between Central and South America and East Asia for six days from July 5-11. The aim of the program was to exchange experiences of different situations, to seek better options through sharing and to promote solidarity as a way to resolve difficult problems. Maquila Solidarity Network, Asia Monitor Resource Center, and KWWAU organized the program. In the program, delegates from El Salvador, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Canada spent two days in Korea from July 5-6. They visited various organizations in Korea and held a roundtable meeting on July 6. Here I summarize the contents of the roundtable meeting.

The delegates shared information about the situations facing them in their own countries. Delegates from all countries reported that women workers suffer from exploitation, sexual abuse, additional burdens of housework, low wages, long working hours, and insecure conditions of employment.

Most of the delegates work in a Free Trade Zone, and they explored the repressive and cruel attitudes of Korean companies in their countries.

The Korean companies there are operating workplaces akin to those found in the 1970s in Korea. They are paying low wages for long working hours. They are also inflicting violence and sexual abuse, and are destroying the environment.

Furthermore, the companies simply close workplaces and move out if they are held to account for the unjust conditions. In this case the workers lose their jobs and have no way to appeal.


● Unequal wages, unequal promotional opportunities, and violence

Cecilia Espinoza from Mexico talked first. She belongs to the Catholic Workers' Federation (JOC) and works in a Free Trade Zone. There are 98,000 workers employed in the FTZ and 97% of all workers are employed in the FTZ near the American border.

The workplace in which Cecilia is employed is in Maquiladora. American companies own 38.4% of the area and 12.7% is owned jointly by Mexico and America.

Recently the number of women workers is increasing and currently 35% of the workers are women. Most of them are working on an irregular basis.

In terms of wages and employment opportunities they face unequal conditions, and they are now planning to appeal for a system of equal wages to be made compulsory in the Labor Law.

The most dangerous problem is that of the violence inflicted on the women workers. In this country many women face domestic abuse and over a hundred women have been kidnapped.

There have been strong demands made to the government for measures to protect citizens and particularly women but the government has kept silent.

Women often start working from the age of twelve, and excessive overtime work and the lack of education have become serious problems. The satellite town has grown and the city population is now over capacity.

About a hundred families move to the city every day, mainly to find jobs or to attempt illegal emigration to America. Early marriages, unmarried mothers, prostitution, and so on, are increasing.


● Adverse effects of the legislation supposed to protect women

Angelica Corales is a militant working in the FTZ. The group to which she belongs is organizing and providing education for women workers. It has worked in five small cities.

The organizations near the boundary provide education programs to assist the worker struggle, organize workers, and improve the lives of women workers.

Her organization has worked for the establishment of an independent trade union for a few years, but they have not yet been able to set it up. There have been several instances of kidnapping and massive dismissals after attempts to establish an independent trade union.

In Mexico, there is no law restricting gender discrimination, and her organization has campaigned for it. The women workers are entitled to two months maternity leave but it is unpaid.

Gender equality is manifested in the National Law but is not being implemented in concrete measures or further regulations.

Pregnant women are supposed to be paid but this legislation, meant to protect pregnant women, in fact is used against them: companies choose male workers over female workers.

Now the number of women workers is decreasing. The legislation to protect pregnant women has resulted in the decrease of female workers' employment.

The employers have dismissed pregnant women on the grounds that they cannot cope with full work loads or that they are more likely to suffer industrial accidents.


● The minimum cost of living is $286 but the average wage is $144

Marina Rios from El Salvador talked about the general situation in her country and particularly the situation confronting the women workers of her country.

There have been conflicts and riots in El Salvador for more than twelve years and the women workers have realized the need to organize. Marina and her organization have conducted various activities: education for women, mobilization of political participation by women, health and anti-violence campaigns, economic and social development programs, and so on.

Since 1996 they have struggled beside women workers in the Free Trade Zone and have succeeded in amending the contents of the law in relation to women's issues.

Campaigning for the amendment of the law, they realized that the most important thing is the organization of women workers. The situation facing women workers is very similar to that in Guatemala.

According to the research, 70% of women workers are married and 80% of them are aged between 16 and 35 years old. Their average wage is $144 per month - much lower than the minimum cost of living which is $286.

There are six Free Trade Zones in which about 240 companies are located. The companies have exploited workers with psychological and physical abuse, unfair dismissals, lack of retirement allowances, and so on, and the labor movement has declined.

Marina attended a roundtable meeting two weeks before she came to Korea and in the meeting discussed the effects of the flexibilization of the labor market on women workers. The participants of the meeting pointed out the problem of the decrease of employment opportunities for women workers due to the flexibilization of working hours, and wages that can be decided by the company alone.

In her country, men and women workers are now preparing to struggle to expose the actual effects of flexibilization.


● Women workers themselves should be aware of their own problems

Magali Pineda from the Dominican Republic also talked about the problems in the Free Trade Zones in her country, which are comparable to those in Korea in the 1970s. Working conditions are very bad and 80% of workers are women.

They are not organized and it is difficult for them to do so. The majority of them are aged between 20 and 35 and many of them are married, or are unmarried mothers.

The reason for the high incidence of unmarried mothers is that many women have affairs with men due to the stress suffered in the workplace and to escape the difficulties faced in life.

Of the women in the Caribbean Sea and Central and South America, 35% are responsible for their families due to the absence or violent tendencies of their husbands.

In these circumstances, women are actually getting stronger. From 1975 to 1984, the Free Trade Zones had made gradual development. There are three FTZs where about 35,000 women workers are employed.

The Labor Law mainly supports employers. They can easily dismiss workers legally. The suppression of workers who campaign for the organization of unions is very severe, and the existing trade union is very weak.

Furthermore, the existing union is very much male-oriented and there is no forum for the particular problems facing women workers. Most of the unions never acknowledge the housework undertaken by women.

Magali insisted that not only those in the workplace but society as a whole should pay more attention to the problems facing women, and that women themselves should become more aware of their own problems.

In the FTZ, where Magali is working, there are 17 trade unions and only nine of them had negotiated with companies.

In Dominica there are 32 FTZs with about 500 workplaces. About 200,000 workers are employed there.

● The most exploitive workplaces are owned by Korean companies

The stories about the Korean companies made us so angry. According to Magali, Korea and Taiwan have set up workplaces since 1984. As is the case in Guatemala and Honduras, Korean companies have run workplaces in totalitarian ways.

Korean companies have forced employees to work overtime, committed sexual abuse, and destroyed the environment. If protests are made, Korean companies often say that these conditions are accepted in Korea and should be accepted there.

They often add that these complaints arise through cultural differences and misunderstandings. Korea is the third top investor country in El Salvador.

Marina, from El Salvador, also said that Korean companies are the most exploitative and always respond to protests by saying that everything is due to cultural differences.

However the companies are fully aware of the struggle of the workers in Korea. Angelica had made demands to the Korean NGOs, whom she hoped would continue to monitor and supervise the situation.

She and her organization are working for one American company. They are well-informed about the company and that gives them better leverage to formulate countermeasures against unjust working conditions.

However, they have little information about Korean companies, and would feel better prepared to combat workplace injustices if they could obtain more.


● Urgent need for common understanding and solidarity

The delegates have campaigned actively in their countries under difficult conditions. Since Asian countries have conducted export-oriented economic policies, every country has set up Free Trade Zones and the governments have promised not to allow unions to be set up in order to encourage foreign companies into their countries.

This has resulted in serious problems of low wages, exploitation of labor, and human rights violations. Korean companies in particular are infamous.

Their conduct creates problems for women workers in many countries. International solidarity is urgently needed. The importance of this exchange program has been established.





Korea Working Women's Network 1999
Posted by KWWA
|

Action center for Women's Unemployment



Evaluation and policy proposals
on the first anniversary of the ACWU




Soon Im Choi
Counselor of ACWU





1. Prologue

Since the Korean economy has come through the IMF Relief Fund period, society has faced a phase of great unemployment. There have been lots of clients talking about delays in payment and dismissals in the process of restructuring.

In spite of the seriousness of the women workers' unemployment problem, it has failed to be exposed to the public due to the general unemployment problem.

The government has not proposed any countermeasures to the problem of female workers' unemployment. Therefore the KWWAU established the "Action Center for Female Unemployment (ACWU)" on June 9, 1998 in collaboration with local WWAs in order to expose the seriousness of the female unemployment problem in society and to urge the government to provide proper countermeasure plans.

For the past year, the ACWU has conducted and provided various activities and projects: counseling, education, assistance for daily life, medical care aid, organizing works, policy making works, research and studies, organizing rallies, campaigning, etc.

These various activities and projects have had the following outcomes: 1) They have increased awareness in society of the female unemployment problem; 2) They have strengthened governmental countermeasures through making resolutions on the women' unemployment problem and urging for proper countermeasures, 3) They have provided practical help to unemployed women through counseling and assistance.


2. Main activities

The ACWU has conducted various activities. We are going to expand counseling, education, assistance for daily life, medical care aid, organizing works, policy making works, research and studies, organizing rallies, and campaigning.

Counseling can be divided into individual counseling and group counseling. The counselors try to help clients who are in counseling to gain work and obtain recruitment information. They also try to prevent women being exploited in the process of gaining a job, and deal with ordinary problems in daily life.

In addition, they also try to prepare information of use to the clients. There has been good feedback from the clients.

In terms of group counseling, we conducted sessions with two groups of single women and with married women. Through group counseling the clients met women in similar situations and could better understand themselves.

The counseling was implemented through the sharing of their difficulties and helped them to realize that unemployment is no longer an individual problem but a social one, and encouraged them to develop the will to get through the difficulties of unemployment.

From June of 1998 to July of 1999, 7,903 clients were counseled at central and local headquarters.

Aside from the counseling, we also gave assistance in daily life to unemployed female family heads. In October 1998, we conducted a program called "How female family heads can survive winter". From March 1999 we have fought a "National campaign to help unemployed family heads".

Central and local headquarters provided gift certificates and cash worth of W150,000 for 1,872 women. The Inchon WWA opened a Rest Room for unemployed women and the Pusan WWA opened a Study Room for the children of unemployed women in addition to a Rest Room.

The assisting daily life program has given practical help to the unemployed women family heads who are struggling day-to-day.

Through these activities directed towards unemployed women family heads, we can confirm that the most difficult problem for the female family heads comes not from the unemployment problem but from structural poverty.

A systematic response to overcome the chronic poverty problems suffered by unemployed female family heads is urgently needed.

In order to provide medical care for the unemployed women who need to see a doctor, we issued a 'Medical Check Card' which can be used to obtain special discounts for medical care for unemployed female family heads and their family members.

The central and four local headquarters at Pusan, Seoul, Inchon, and Puchon conducted medical check-ups for free. It was a good way for unemployed female family heads to take care of their health.

As a result of these various activities for unemployed female family heads, the central and eight local headquarters formed a 'Mutual Aid Women's Association', which was composed of female family heads. At the moment, the Mutual Aid Women's Association has the participation of about a thousand women.

The association provides various programs: necessary lectures, group counseling, provision of useful information, etc. The members of the association are not just receptors of help but they live in the light of community consciousness.

Education has been carried out through the "Job Seekers' Meeting Day". Normally practical education is provided through group counseling on the meeting day. About three thousand women participated in the counseling, conducted in the central and six local headquarters.

A 'Lecture on how unemployed women can get a job' has been organized every month. The lecture includes discussion of the present situation of female unemployment, the necessity of a good attitude in overcoming unemployment, the formation of a network in gaining a job, making plans for one's own occupation, practice of the face-to-face test, and so on - primarily practical topics.

These lectures were organized 60 times in total and about two thousand women took part. The lectures encouraged demoralized unemployed women to plan better for their futures.

'Training for counselors' was conducted in the form of professional training for psychological counselors, a retraining course for the counselors, and training for fostering counselors. It contributed a lot to increasing the counselors' work capacity.

The trained counselors were sent to every local branch to work as a professional counselor for unemployed women, to whom they gave very practical help.

In addition, there has been other general training, for unemployed women and for the volunteers. We also should talk about the technical training course. There have been technical training courses held for unemployed female family heads to regain work, and retraining courses for unemployed women.

These training courses provided a chance for the unemployed female family heads to attend the technical training course and obtain some training allowances which could be used for very basic living costs.

->Training for counselors (1999. 4. 19-20)

These people were alienated from society and forgotten about for a long time but there they could be with people in a similar situation with whom they could share their problems. As a result of the training, Puchon WWA has formed a group of general assistant workers.

The members of the group have been serving in their residential town office as volunteers helping children learn how to express their own opinions in writing.


As a self-support project, Seoul WWA has run two needle work stores where about 25 women share work. The needle work stores have created work for unemployed women. This has been of practical help for unemployed women. The needle work stores have been a good model of a countermeasure business for unemployed women.

The Puchon WWA has run a general assistants' business. The business has been carried out by the participants of the training program for the general assistants.

The trainees themselves provided flyers propagandizing general assistants and they visited every house and store. A good number of patients' families have contacted them for long-term help. And the needed contacts are increasing.

As a job-creation project, 'Guidance in the daily life of low-income children after school' has been conducted as a part of Public Labor Service Program. The Korea Women Associations United (KWAU) has been conducted in collaboration with six WWAs in Seoul, Inchon, Ansan, Kwangju, Puchon, and Pusan.

All together 278 facilities have hired 368 tutors. The project has contributed a lot to study room activities and creating jobs for highly-educated unemployed women. However, there are no further activities after completing the public labor service period. The Puchon WWA has sent assistant teachers to undernourished children's facilities.

At the time when the Action Center for Unemployed Women was set up, those who worked in workplaces in which employees were not eligible for employment insurance, in poor workplaces, unemployed women who were dismissed from irregular work positions, and those who were newly-arrived on the labor market, were not seeking new jobs through public job arrangement agencies.

Therefore they were not included in the statistics on the unemployed women. At the time the ACWU was established, it launched a movement of job-seekers registration. The movement has helped publicize the problem of female unemployment.

The movement succeeded in exposing the fact that the situation of unemployed women was not included in statistics and in encouraging more unemployed women to register as job-seekers.

The campaign for female unemployment is an activity of local ACWUs. The campaigns have been conducted by the members. It has been well established and expanded.

A Policy making activity has been implemented through appeals to the government, organizing rallies, conducting campaigns, etc. The ACWU organized five protest rallies from July to December 1998 in collaboration with the FKTU, KCTU, and University Solidarity for Women's Labor Rights.

Over 600 participated. This campaign works to advise the government. We took the emerging problem of the moment and worked on a suitable policy which was then submitted to the government.

The government and the ruling party accepted some of our suggestions and included them in their policies for unemployed women. Within the two major unions, the FKTU and the KCTU, it encouraged the exposition of women's issues in their union movements.

We have made several appeals expressing our opinions to the government: appeals to implement specific policies for unemployed women, appeals to change the public labor service program, appeal to change to the process of registration for jobs, etc.

We provided registration forms to women and collected them in the related office. Occupational fields open to women have been increased and the unemployed female family heads have been given more chances to find work.


As study and research work, the North Cholla WWA conducted 'Research on the situation of unemployed women' and the KWWAU, Inchon WWA, Kwangju WWA, and Pusan WWA conducted joint monitoring of recruitment agencies.

Seoul WWA conducted research on female family heads and participated in 'Research on the living requirements of unemployed female family heads' which was conducted by the Korea Women Workers Associations United.

Through the study and research work and the monitoring project, we could assess the actual situation confronting unemployed women and could prepare proper appeals to the government.

The KWWAU and local WWAs actively prepared the appeals and the government and the local autonomous administrations accepted some of the appeals.

Through the monitoring work, we could explain the government policies to the unemployed women and, at the same time, we found some problematic points of the policies and suggested resolutions.

Through these means, the ACUW has situated itself in an important position. We worked hard not only for our own projects and works but our staff have actively participated in various seminars and forums organized by other organizations.

In addition, a computer project has been implemented. Central and local secretariats have developed a database system for job seekers in order to create more effective management. We have also opened a homepage at CHOLLIAN and NETSGO called 'Working Women's Network' where job seekers can obtain necessary information and counseling. There has been good feedback.


3. Achievements and tasks


The achievements are as follows;
1) Public opinion has been alerted to the seriousness of female unemployment.

In particular, Inchon WWA established 'Counseling Center for the abolishment of delay in payment and for prompting reemployment' and the center made a great contribution to bringing problems faced by unemployed female family heads to society.

The mass media has begun to handle the issue and the government administrations have also paid more attention to the issue. The Special Committee for Women at the Health and Welfare Ministry conducted research on unemployed female family heads.

2)The act of drawing up policies which were taken to the government bore some fruit in that the government has provided a few new policies such as: expansion of female participation in public labor service, special countermeasures for unemployed female family heads, and others. These have been of actual and practical help to unemployed women.


->Symposium for the evaluation of action center
for women's unemployment & the policy suggestion (1999. 6. 25)

3) Through counseling and assistance, unemployed women have been encouraged to stand firm with a strong will to get through their difficulties.

The tasks are as follows.
1) ACUW works should not end with service but should be developed into a women's labor movement in order to help women workers construct projects by themselves rather than following their spokeswoman. For that we should collect their demands to prepare future direction and strategy.

2) We should activate government proposals and urge for more effective countermeasure policies. The main role of the ACUW is to provide unemployment projects and to orchestrate demand for them. The monitoring of the situation of unemployed women by the government should be done systematically through the ACUW.


4. The policy for unemployed women based on the evaluation of the activities of the ACUW


According to statistics compiled by the National Statistics Office, in April 1999, the unemployment rate for women is 5.8%. Compared with last year, it has increased 0.4%. Including the previously excluded disappointed unemployed women, a number of women are suffering from unemployment.

In the case of women, the rate of employment of regular workers is being decreased and that of irregular workers is being increased. Therefore the currently decreasing rate of unemployment does not mean that job security is getting better.

Moreover, when unemployed women are trying to get a job, their age, marital status, and need for child care have been obstacles. Women workers are typically offered low wages and long working hours and there is an increasing demand for young women.

Therefore it is getting harder for middle-aged women to get jobs. Therefore the government should provide a policy directed towards unemployed women of all kinds.

First, there should be a general policy for unemployed women. For that the government should conduct research on the situation and should provide constant assistance for female family heads and countermeasure plans for unemployed female family heads.

Second, the administration function in relation to female labor should be vastly strengthened. Companies which have recently weakened maternity protection should face harsh punishment along with the companies which purposely delay payment and provide unjust working conditions.

Third, it is urgent that basic living conditions are guaranteed for those who receive governmental income support.

Fourth, the public labor service should be transferred to more productive and long term jobs. Particularly for the unemployed women, school meals and after-school programs should be systematically implemented.

Fifth, there should be an administration in charge of women who have newly entered the labor market and the public recruitment agencies should set up a desk devoted to the female workforce.

Sixth, there should be more promotion of countermeasure programs for unemployment and the government administration in charge of unemployment should improve its function.

Seventh, protection for unemployed women through employment insurance should be expanded.

Eighth, various countermeasure programs for unemployed women should be provided.




Korea Working Women's Network 1999
Posted by KWWA
|

[vol.20] NEWS

WORKING WOMAN 2008. 3. 21. 11:19

 NEWS

Korean Women Workers Associations United


Seoul, Inchon, Puchon, Ansan, Kwangju, Mansan & Changwon, North Cholla, Pusan



 KWWAU


The first annual assembly of the Action Center for Unemployed Women (ACUW)

KWWAU had a forum on the first anniversary of the ACUW in order to evaluate the activities of the ACUW and to make resolutions on policies for unemployed women.

The ACUW, which was set up in order to share the sufferings of women workers who have been hit even harder since the country came under the IMF Relief Fund system, has set up a central administration and eight local secretariats.

The ACUW has conducted various activities, including counseling, education, provision of countermeasure policies, study and research, medical care, assistance in daily living, organizing, vocational training.

All these measures can provide practical help for unemployed women. The forum was organized with the purpose of collecting various opinions from different sectors of society so as to decide on the proper policy for unemployed women.

There was a panel discussion and we were happy to have Dr. Tae Hong Kim from Korean Women's Development Institute, Sec. Gen.

In Soon Nam from Korea Women's Associations United, Ms. Soong Hee Lee (an expert advisor on women's policy) from the ruling party and Ms. Bok Ki Kim (a chief manager of project assistance) from Unemployed-relief civil movement, as panelists.


National Women Workers' Camp

We held a national camp on July 10 - 11 in collaboration with the Korea Women's Trade Union (Preparatory Committee). 130 women workers from all over the country gathered at Mt. Mani to share experiences and life stories.

At the camp, the women workers from various occupations and work posts confirmed and consolidated their will to do their best for the establishment of the Korea Women's Trade Union.


Open Forum with the theme of 'The employment situation and future tasks of unorganized women workers'

The employment situation has worsened since the country came under the IMF Relief Fund system, and the situation in workplaces without unions is much worse.

The KWWAU opted to conduct research on the situation and to provide some resolutions. To do this, 1,691 questionnaires were collected from seven areas of Seoul, as well as Puchon, Ansan, North Cholla, Kwangju, Masan & Changwon, and Pusan.

These questionnaires and interviews with 20 women workers were analysed as the basis of the research and the results were brought to the open forum for broader discussions and sharing of opinions on July 15.


The 20th Memorial ceremony for the late Kyoung Sook Kim

On August 29, there was the 20th memorial ceremony for the late Kyoung Sook Kim, organised jointly with the YH Fellowship and the Korea Women's Trade Union. Over 400 people participated in the ceremony.

The ceremony was composed of a memorial worship, a memorial drama, dance, and a solidarity program. The day was full of good spirits and everyone hoped that they might inherit her commitment.

The former chairwoman of the YH trade union, Ms. Soon Young Choi made an opening speech, saying that we should revive the passion of that day when we cried out for the justice and democracy.


Visit by the women workers' delegation from Indonesia and Thailand

Seven women workers' organizers from Indonesia and Thailand visited Korea as part of an exchange program. They stayed from September 5 to 12. The purpose of the visit was to share experiences of the situation in both countries under the economic crisis and the situation of women workers in particular.

They learned about the experiences of Korean women workers and unions confronting the economic crisis. They also learned about the present situation and history of the child care movement, the Action Center for Unemployed Women and the Korea Women's Trade Union.

They visited the Masan and Pusan Free Trade Zone which are quite historical in the rubber industry. We shared views about impact on women workers caused by the move-out of the rubber industry.

It would be a good model case for Indonesia where the workers need to be ready with countermeasure plans for the rubber industry.


Presidential Award on the anniversary ceremony for the '99 Equal Employment Month'


On October 8, the KWWAU together with the Korea Women's Associations United received Presidential Awards. The KWWAU was given an award in acknowledgement of its contribution toward improving women's status through the counseling work of the Equal Rights Counseling and the operation of the Action Center for Unemployed Women.


 Puchon WWA

Completion of the women's vocational training course

PWWA conducted three vocational training courses during June to August. 23 women, including children care assistants, completed the newspaper comprehension class and 14 of them gained certificates.

30 women, who had employment insurance, completed the readers' guidance training and the telemarketing course which were organized to assist return to employment.

34 women completed the 'General Assistants' Course' which was a short vocational program for nursing and maternity care assistants.

15 of them have formed a mutual support group. The rest of them joined the PWWA or joined other groups like the reading guidance group.


 North Cholla WWA

Unemployed women confront reemployment problems

Unemployed women, who were fed up with seeking jobs alone, united to seek work. They went out to the streets in order to publicize the fact that there are many capable women workers in the Action Center fro Unemployed Women.

Some of them found a job during the promotion period which was good news. Many of them were able to recover their lost self-confidence in the hunt for work.


 Inchon WWA

Training course for women counselors

IWWA provided 12 sessions of a training course for counselors. There were various lectures on counseling skills, theory and case studies of group counseling, vocationalcounseling and planning for future vocations, workshop illustrating some model cases, and so on.

It was implemented for the purpose of understanding the particular circumstances affecting women workers and improving the capacity of counselors.


The campaign for the expulsion of sexual abuse in the July women's week

On July 3 in Wolmi island and on July 7 in front of East Inchon Railway Station, campaigns were held. An open counseling desk was set up to conduct one day's counseling.

The campaign encouraged people to join 'Equal Protectors' with the gift of a memo notebook, distributed flyers, conducted traditional worship, provided an open information board, conducted research, and so on, to encourage people to participate.


Leadership meeting of the Mutual Aid Women's Association of unemployed women

On August 7, IWWA held a leadership meeting of the Mutual Aid Women Association of Unemployed Women. The participants shared their different experiences and planned for future activities.


 Masan & Changwon WWA

Research on the living situation and job-seeking experiences of unemployed women

MCWWA conducted research on the living situation and job-seeking experiences of unemployed women in July.

The researchers visited the Local Labor Office, the recruiting center at City Hall, and the various vocational training centers that unemployed women often visit. The total subjects of the research were 400.

The results will be reported on the first anniversary of the Masan and Changwon Action Center for Unemployed Women in October.

Training program for counselors to help the reemployment of unemployed women

There was a training program for the fostering of counselors to help the reemployment of unemployed women from June 9 - 30. 25 women attended the course.

The course provided lectures on such subjects as: the role of counselors, communication skills, the present situation and proper countermeasures against unemployment, the crisis of unemployment

and social problems, unemployment policy and the social security system, legal counseling, the role and attitude of volunteers. All 25 women completed the course and ten of them have volunteered to work in the MSWWA.


 Pusan WWA

The seventh street campaign on the anniversary of the Action Center for Unemployed Women

On June 19, PWWA had an anniversary. The participants remembered the six street campaigns in which they worked to expose female unemployment as society's problem and gained the commitment of unemployed women. They consolidated their will to work for countermeasure plans for unemployed women.


Workshop on the situation of women workers in Pusan

On July 8, there was an exciting forum organized by the Action Center for Unemployed Women, the Women's Trade Union, the Pusan Headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, and the Women University Students' Association in Pusan and Kyounsang.

They shared thoughts on the employment situation and future tasks for unemployed women, the young unemployed, and field workers.


 Working Women's House of PWWA

Professional Housekeepers' Association: its establishment and activities

On July 4, the Working Women's House formed the 'Professional Housekeepers' Association' on the second anniversary of the Working Women's House.

The association is a self-support association for women working as a housekeepers (housework assistants), nursing care assistants, maternity care assistants, and child care assistants.

The House has provided a general assistants' course. The course helped women to improve their work as professional assistants offering good-quality services.

In most cases, the women had obtained their jobs through recruitment agencies who gave them jobs with very bad working conditions. Now they are looking for work through the association.

Assistant jobs are now very much needed in society where more women are working and in need of help. The assisting job is an expanding field of work for middle-aged women.

At the moment, the association has its office in the House with one full-time staff member, and those involved take turns to complete the secretarial work.

So far, there have been good results. All 80 members are seeking work and their information is posted on the association newsletter. There have been a number of calls.

They are planning to prepare for training courses; housework training in September and maternity and nursing care training in October.


 Kwangju WWA

Women's School

The KWWA held its third women's school from June 23 to July 11 every Wednesday. There were lectures and discussions on Women and Society, Women and Law,

and the background to the establishment of the women's trade union and its activities. 10 participants in the school took part in the national camp.


Open forum on the situation of and organization plans for unorganized women workers

On August 11, there was an open forum. The report on the research on unorganized women workers was presented and analysed. As a countermeasure plan, the establishment of the Korea Women's Trade Union was proposed and its background explained.

In the forum the participants heard the thoughts of representatives from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, and other local trade unions, on the development of the women's trade union.

The representatives from local women's organizations, labor organizations, local trade union leaders and the members of KWWA participated in the forum and it was a step forward for the women's trade union in this area.


 Ansan WWA

Parenting class making a world of living together

AWWA provided an advanced parenting class and 25 people participated. It was a training course designed for parents to learn more effective ways to bring up and help their kids.

It also encouraged the participants to reflect on themselves as parents in order to have deeper and better understanding of their children.

The MBTI program helped mothers to realize their characteristics in order to have a more effective role as a mother. It helped the participants to make better parents.

Group counseling for unemployed female family heads

There were three group counseling sessions for unemployed female family heads on June 22 - 26. Group counseling was provided with the purpose of allowing participants a sophisticated understanding of their repression and to improve their determination.

10 unemployed female family heads attended each group counseling session. They developed their self-confidence through training in self-expression. It was a successful program to improve the mental strength of unemployed female family heads.


New business of 'Great Love Lunch Box'

The AWWA proposed a new business as a self-support program for unemployed women, and it was accepted by six women. They, with the AWWA, have invested in the establishment of the "Great Love" lunch box business.

It has not yet officially opened but it has catered for some small companies by providing lunches, picnics, and others. They have received orders from companies and kindergartens for lunch.


 Seoul WWA

Leadership formed for the Mutual Aid Women Association

On May 28, the Mutual Aid Women's Association was formed on the "Night for the Solidarity of Unemployed Women". There have been several provisional meetings. Eight members took part in the national camp.

Finally the leadership has been formed. The leaders of the association provided a lecture in August with the theme of "Importance of labor, value of living as a worker, and the trade union", a case-history explication in September by a member of the association with the theme "Restoring your own rights", and organized a picnic in October.

They are planning to provide free medical checks in November and a year-end party in December. "Dear fellow unemployed women! You can regain hope if you come and visit us!"


Together with the unemployed women

Among the clients visiting Equal Rights Counseling center, the unemployment of those in their 40s and 50s is a very serious problem.

Due to their ages, they can only get work as cleaners, housework assistants, or working in restaurants.

Moreover they do not have a good understanding of their own vocation and professionalism as a working woman. Therefore the SWWA held an "explanation of vocation" day on September 16 in order to help them to become aware of the present situation.


The fourth "Night for the Solidarity of Unemployed Women"

On October 28, the fourth "Night for the Solidarity of Unemployed Women" will be held. There was a bazaar to raise funds to help unemployed women in March. The leftover five million won will be spent on the program.

There will be various contests, including writing, drawing, singing, dancing, playing, speaking, and so on for unemployed women and the funds will be given them as prizes.




Korea Working Women's Network 1999
Posted by KWWA
|

Working Women Vol.19

August, 1999
A edition committee member of KWWA
Catoon : Yang Son Jang



On May 1,1999 the May-day Rally was held in seoul station


    Feature
    Summary of a report on the present situation of woman employment

    VOICES FROM WORKPLACES

    Struggle against the retrench of women over 41 ages

    Life story written by Park, Min-na
    A woman, like the wind, can never be trapped in a net
    - Ahn Sooyoung, a writer in 'Oreum', a women's art group -

     The Action Center for Women's Unemployment
    Unemployed Women's Association for Overcoming Unemployment, an autonomous organization to overcome unemployment as a core identity

    Equal Rights Couseling
    From forcing the retirement of company couples to sexual abuse
    - counselling cases by different type -

     News


Korea Working Women's Network 1999
Posted by KWWA
|
[Hotline List]

Summary of a report on the present situation of woman employment

In Soon Wang
General Secretary of KWWAU







Equal rights counseling and the Action Center for Unemployed Women's of the Korea Women Workers Associations United (KWWAU) and the KCTU published a report on the present situation of women employment in the first quarter of 1999 on May 18.

According to "Employment Trends of May 1999" by the National Statistical Office, the involvement rate of women in economic activities decreased 0.6% in comparison with the first quarter of 1998, and the female population not involved in economic activities increased by about 220,000 (2.2%).

As of May 1999, female unemployment has increased to 559,000, which covers 32.8% of the total unemployed population, and the unemployment rate of women has increased by 5.1% more than the rate of male unemployment. These statistics alone cannot, however, give a clear picture of the reality of female employment.

As of May 1999, two of three employed women are temporary workers. Only 30.8% of women workers are regular workers while 61.4% of men are regular workers. To further illustrate the position of female workers, the Equal Rights Counseling and the Action Center for Unemployed Women collated their counseling cases and provided a collected report. Here the KWWAU summarizes the report.

1. Present situation of female employment


A big decrease of women union members and a big increase of temporary womenworkers.


The Construction Worker Union (CWU) conducted research into the employment situation of women in 33 places of construction. The research illustrates the unstable situation of women workers (see the table).

Employment situation of female workers
(Unit: persons)

Total employees 25,940 100%
Female workers 1,564 6%
Total union members 12,200 47%
WomenUnion members 563 2%
Temporary workers 1,341 5%
Women Temporary workers 319 1%

Only 5% of women workers belong to the union. The total rate of organized workers is 47% while that for women is only 36%. Compared to research in April 1997, the decrease of union members as a whole is 32%, but the decrease of women union members is 47%. The rate of union involvement by temporary female workers is 23.8%.

There are companies in which all female workers are temporary, and companies with more than 50% of temporary female workers are commonplace. In large enterprises, the problem is more serious. The rate of female workers employed on a temporary basis is 88.6% in D Construction, 29.3% in H Construction, and 16.3% in J Construction.

Particularly in the case of J Construction, the number of temporary women workers exceeds that of regular women workers. This is due to the recent "Employment Control", in the implementation of which a lot of women were transferred to temporary contracts.

In the case of J Construction, women union members decreased by 94% while union membership as a whole decreased by 70%. In addition, female construction workers often remain on temporary contracts even after their working periods have been extended and often long after their male counterparts receive permanent status.

They are also overlooked for promotion, and remain in assistant positions: of the questionnaire participants, 86% work indoors, 9% work as technicians, and 1% work in sales. The most serious problems at present identified by the participants are discrimination in promotion and the language used in the workplace-modes of address and obscene talk which underline the dominant order.


High ratio of women to men for voluntary retirement, prior dismissal of temporary workers

We can confirm that in some business and financial companies the first workers dismissed were women. H Insurance Company launched a voluntary retirement scheme in April 1998 targeting those who had worked longer than seven years. 75% of the workers who volunteered to retire were women, and four out of ten were married women.

The key reason for this is that the company tried to encourage female workers to retire. In L Insurance company, 267 of a total of 3400 workers received honorary retire-ment, and 60% of them were women. L Security Corporation also implemented honorary retirement.

In the process, the branch manager encouraged female workers to retire and tried to create a difficult atmosphere for them. He threatened that "female workers will be sent to some remote branches. It is natural that we shall for the time being give temporary contracts to women workers, and we are hesitant to give women workers ordinary contracts." The workers union responded vigorously to the attitude of the branch manager.

The union managed marginally to limit the numbers of women workers given retirement. It is common for temporary workers to be primary targets for dismissal and companies with unions are not exceptional. In the case of L Security Corporation, the collective agreement negotiated by the union limited the number of temporary workers to 10%; however, the company can dismiss temporary workers if it faces crisis.


Ongoing unfair dismissal, pressure to resign after maternity leave, pressure to transfer to a temporary working position, unpaid wages

At the first quarter of this year, the proportion of callers anxious about employment instability increased to 85.3% among the counseling cases of the Hotline for Equality. Women are still targeted primarily for dismissal in a sexually discriminative manner, especially when they work at the same place as their husband. In public enterprises, the notification of dis-missal is given without following proper procedure or giving adequate ex-planation.

In small companies, the workers are dismissed for unreasonable causes. Counseling cases related to workers' maternity have increased: pressure to resign on pregnancy, non-payment of wages during maternity leave, attempts made by employees to induce resignation after maternity leave, etc.

Some companies begin to pressurize the pregnant worker immediately upon her notification of pregnancy. Through the counseling service, we can confirm the disadvanta geous situation facing wo-men workers. Under the banner of the IMF crisis, women are discouraged from taking monthly menstrual leave or maternity leave.

In public enterprises, large enterprises, small and medium enter-prises, and other private companies, the women workers are transferred to temporary working positions. Even in public enter-prises, female technicians are transferred to tem-porary positions, or are forced to resign so the companies can recruit new workers on a temporary contract.

The circumstances surrounding unpaid wages vary greatly. In small companies, there are many cases of wages unpaid without any explanation. One company requires workers to sign a written agreement agreeing to disadvantageous leaving conditions if she or he resigns before a year. One company does not pay a redundancy allowance.

One com-pany fails to pay proper wages, saying, "The contract was made based upon the annual salary and a bonus was included for the sake of convenience." Workers have to struggle hard in order to receive their wages. Those workers who have been transferred to temporary contracts have difficulty getting a redundancy payout, as the company insists that the temporary workers do not qualify.


2. The present situation of counselling concerning employment by the Action Center for Unemployed Women

The total number of cases counseled by the Action Center for Unemployed Women come to 1,649. 64.9% of callers were over 35 years old, 75.3% were high school graduates, and 81.9% were married women. It shows that those with a background of low education, the middle-aged, and married women still face the greatest difficulties in getting jobs.

40.3% of single women were fired recently and 33.5% of these women have not worked for some time. In the case of married women, 46.5% are trying to find work and 28.8.% of them have recently been sacked. 68.47% of the callers (31.4% in 1998) have registered as job-seekers.

The reason for the increased registration rate is that women wish to have the opportunity to participate in public service and other benefits related to the government unemployment pro-gram.

37.05% (33.9% in 1998) of those registered are the sole or main family breadwinners and only 2.67% of them receive the unemployment allowance. A number of jobless women are unable to receive the unemployment allowance.

According to the principle of the public labor arrangement, priority should be given to female family heads. The actual actual state of affairs does not allow women who are financially responsible for their family to have a greater chance of getting work.

The public labor arrangement limits the age of beneficiaries. Those old er than 60 years old have no chance of getting a job. Many of them have to pay monthly rent and the subsidy for living costs is much less than they need. The vocational training courses are too short to enable them to get the necessary qualifications to get jobs.

In fact many of them could not get a job even after attending vocational training courses. Most women find work through private recruitment agencies or seek jobs through job advertisements, and there are various dangers in seeking employment through these means, such as being employed by unscrupulous employers or being forced to do unsavory or perilous work.

The stated functions of the public job arrangement center should be enforced in order to protect the unemployed from double pains. The expansion of support for self-employed low-income women, proper subsidies for the cost of living, and long term public labor works are urgently needed.


3. Cheerful march of the mainstream


Under the worsening situation of employment, women workers have constantly struggled, sometimes in a group and sometimes alone. There have been many frustrations. Sometimes, however, our campaigns were concluded with jobs being restored.

The women Researcher in the Tourism Center brought a civil suit against their sexually discriminative dismissal. The eight brave women in the Masan Free Trade Zone won their jobs back through five months of struggle. The women workers of Dae Woo Construction won in court against sexually discriminative dismissal.

The caddies of Golf Club also struggled against the announcement of dismissal given to the caddies over 41 years old, and they all returned to work. The married women who resigned upon their weddings due to having signed an oath to retire upon marriage, brought a civil suit through the central labour committee case handling, and they won in court.

Institute discontinued its policy of prior dismissal of women workers owing to the head quaters of workers unions. These cases have been greatly encouraging for women workers.

In addition, some companies have transferred temporary workers to regular contracts or have encouraged their temporary workers to join their workers union. It is also recognized that several events which took place in the first quarter of this year - including the Memorial Ceremony for International Women's Day on March 8, the opening of the counseling desk particularly for sexual abuse within the workplace and sexually discriminative employment, the launch of "Proclamation of Hope", an organization for recently unemployed women, and the organization of the women workers union - are all very meaningful.

We see 1999 as a year in which the identities and needs of women workers should be recognized and made important. We hereby urge the government to listen to our demands. The Labor Standard Law and the Equal Employment Law should be implemented and the government should work actively for the improvement of employment conditions for women workers.

We also urge the government to provide stronger legal countermeasures against unfair dismissal, unfair labour conditions, unpaid wages, the pressure to resign on pregnancy, the pressure to transfer to a temporary work position, and so on.



Korea Working Women's Network 1999
Posted by KWWA
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